Windows 7: Can you resell a used Win 7 license?

Supposed you buy the retail win 7, load it on a computer and activate. After a few months usage, you decide to go with Ubuntu, or sell the machine without harddrive in it,whatever. Point is your not using Windows 7 anymore.



Can Microsoft "de-activate" the product key so if you put the Windows 7 pack up on ebay, the new owner can activate without any problems? Does the EULA ban re-sale in any way once activated?

There is no difference between what you describe and giving away the disc, but I doubt that MS is going to deactivate it...

If it's full retail I don't see why not. Starting with Vista Microsoft relaxed the transfer terms somewhat because even the retail versions were hitherto restricted on how many times one could move the OS from one system or PC to another.

Google will help you with this question.

As far as I understand it, as long as you uninstall Windows 7 before selling it there should be no problem.
Microsoft apparently has a way to detect if an activation code is already in use, so if you tried to install it on a 2nd machine while the first one still has it installed, you'll probably be unable to do activate it.

Yes, but the person who's purchasing might need to call for activation verification and might need your help to assure MS that its not already running in another PC, otherwise the registration might get locked

Once a product key is activated it then corresponds to a PID which is composed of various things like the current hardware installed in the computer. If you keep installing it on the same computer there is no problem. But when you start using that key on another machines it will probably work a few times but eventually you'll run out of activations and be forced to call Microsoft. This prevents the same product key from being circulated and used by everyone on the internet.

The "PID" key is a unique numeric identifier for each hardware componenet in your PC. Its like a "VIN" on your car. you may have 2 identical Camaros down to the last detail but they will always be identified by the VIN that comes with the vehicle.

its exactly the same with the PID and the way the Windows 7 installation works is it records the PID of your current computer where you are installing the New OS.

Now your system will trigger an Activation Verification if you make any hardware changes that would go past a particular "threshold". That threshold is currently set at 80% and Microsoft has assigned each hardware components corresponding values:

Processor and MOBO 70%
Ram and Graphics is 10% each

Obviously changes on your computer for the above mentioned parts that goes past 80% will trigger the activation.

Ergo if you install Windows 7 on a second computer even if the setup is completely identical to the first computer the unique PID will trigger the activation.

The only question Microsoft has ever asked me, on numerous re-activation calls is, "Is this the only computer the software is currently installed on?" Say yes, and if it's true, you won't have any problems.